Stay
by lipscar
Summary: What if instead of hiding in her vault, Regina left Storybrooke? Accused of murdering Archie Hopper, Regina left everything and everyone behind. When her innocence is discovered and her mother's presence is revealed, Storybrooke may need Regina a lot more than they realised. AU. Rating subject to change. Ship Undetermined.
1. Prologue

**Summary: **_What if instead of hiding in her vault, Regina left Storybrooke? Accused of murdering Archie Hopper, Regina left everything and everyone behind. When her innocence is discovered and her mother's presence revealed, Storybrooke may need Regina a lot more than they realised_**.**

**Disclaimer: **Anything recognised does not belong to me**.**

**A/N: **As this is a prologue, I feel infinitely better about it's rather short quantity. Future chapters should be longer. In terms of shipping, I've yet to decide if that will be a factor in this story. If it is, I've yet to decide whether it will involve another canon character, or an OC. If you'd like to give me your input, I certainly wouldn't be opposed to it.

**STAY  
Prologue**

By the time she realises what she's done, it's too late to turn back. She's already crossed the line and while she could turn around with her tail between her legs and return to the big, empty mansion she calls 'home' - she can't move. What did she need to do to prove to these people that she'd changed? All she cared about was Henry and Henry's happiness, everything else was meaningless to her. Killing the cricket had certainly not been on her to-do list for the week. Hell, Archie had been her only supporter in town. Perhaps even, her only friend.

Eyes closed, she can see him in her head. The way Henry grasps on to Emma as he's being told lies, being turned against her because they still couldn't grow up. They wanted her to be good, to 'redeem' herself from darkness, and yet when something bad happens, she's to blame. Because it was easier to blame her than to admit she's innocent. Regardless of what some mutt's memories say.

She wasn't going to do this. Her plan had been to hide out in her mausoleum, wait there until they came to their senses or until she could no longer fight back. She'd been half-way through the graveyard before she realised - it didn't matter how long she hid for. It didn't matter whether they discovered the truth or not - she would always be walking on thin ice. She would never be free from her past and they would always be watching her, waiting for her to slip.

What kind of life was that?

She didn't even have Henry to make it all seem worthwhile. Her son, whom she had raised for his entire life, given him everything he could want and more, loved with all her heart - had chosen them over her, and he too, would never see her as anything but The Evil Queen again.

He would be happier without her, without being fought over and without the choice of his mom, or his mother. Because she knows who he would choose and it wouldn't be her. If she took herself out of the equation, if she protected him just as much as she protected herself, he could be happy. And she wouldn't live under constant watch, her time with her son determined by how good she had been that day.

Heartbroken, she didn't even realise until she was standing right there, that she was at the edge of town. 'You are now leaving Storybrooke' mocking her in white painted words with a yellow painted line at her feet. One step, just one step, and she'd be free. Her memories wouldn't completely fade. Crossing the border returned you to your Storybrooke self and she, technically, didn't have one. Not until she'd had Henry, when she'd given up her victory for her happiness only to have that, too, ripped from her grasp. She would remember the town, and she would remember her son, but she wouldn't remember the Queen… And maybe that was the best she could get.

In her hand, crumpled paper with hastily written words flutter in the wind and she holds on tightly. That paper is her only means of survival now, her only means of remembering why she's not in Storybrooke, why she's without her son and why she's alone. Anxiously biting her lower lip, she steps forward and breathes a gasp of shock.

Throughout Storybrooke, a rush of magic surges through the town before fading in to nothing. Mr Gold pauses in his shop, Mother Superior stands still upon the convent steps and Emma Swan startles awake. All over town, people glance around in confusion, mumbled conversations steadily grow louder and louder, all whilst the 'Evil Queen' walks away from town with a piece of paper in one hand, and a book in another.

**A/N:** _Review if you like, but it's not a big deal if you don't_.


	2. Chapter One

**A/N**: Wow. Okay. I must admit, I was not expecting that much interest. I really must thank you all, it's been a very long time since I last wrote on this site. I must also admit, that I'm not a huge SQ shipper however if the story heads in that direction, than I will allow it. I prefer to let Regina speak for herself so whatever she feels, she will feel. I wholeheartedly believe that nothing matters more to Regina than Henry and therefore, anything in terms of romance will be taking a back seat to him. And yes, this was quite a quick upload. I was inspired last night. Please, don't expect regular uploads as I could upload twice in one day, or once in two weeks. It all depends on the muse...

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**parakitty**:_ I was planning to focus on Regina and her relationship with both Henry and Cora, as well as Rumplestiltskin and Snow. I have quite a lot planned for this and so it will, no doubt, be a slow burn story. That said, thank you very much for your input and I can assure you, anything remotely romantic will not take place until some time later, or in flashbacks concerning Daniel. We'll just have to wait and see._

**Immortality Found**: _That is a very good point, and something I hadn't completely considered. Thank you for that, I'm definitely going to have to think about just how much not remembering her 'fairytale' life will affect present day Regina._

**RestlessSeas:** _Well thank you. I've had this in my drafts for quite some time and finally got the drive to publish it. I can't tell you anything about Storybrooke, and what said burst was about, but I can tell you that Regina Mills outside of Storybrooke is going to find herself in some trouble. You'll just have to wait and see._

**Caro. mendez94**: _Those are very good points and I thank you for your input. I do have an idea of how I want Regina to behave and I do understand what you mean, I myself went through the same thing. I'm hoping to try and make this as realistic as I can ( considering it's a story involving real life fairytales, it's going to no doubt be quite difficult )._

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**Disclaimer**: Anything recognised does not belong to me.

**Chapter One **

They don't notice at first. Too busy consoling Henry and preparing 'Archie' for burial, the only thoughts involving the Queen included various ways to enact so called justice and, in some cases, express disappointment and remorse. Henry had felt nothing but anger for quite a while, hiding out in Emma's bedroom until his tears had dried and he had fallen asleep. Emma standing in the doorway with a sore heart for, '_how could Regina do this to him?_'. A part of her wanted to believe she hadn't, but she had seen for herself how wrong that part of her was.

Imagine her surprise when Archie appeared in their doorway, Pongo near knocking him over and before she could even process what the hell was going on, he'd completely shattered their accusation.

Cora.

Cora was in Storybrooke.

Cora framed Regina.

... _Regina!_

It took a while to sink in, the grievous mistake they'd all made. Not without just cause of course. How were they to tell the difference between Regina and her mother when magic had shown both at the same time? And it wasn't as if Regina had never killed before, lied and manipulated - they were right to question her, but to accuse her as they had, attempt to trap her as Snow and Charming had tried all those years before, that had been wrong. She had been trying, they knew that - and they'd screwed up.

Henry was the most vocal about correcting their wrong. Claiming his desire to find his mother and apologise, for doubting her, for breaking her heart. Guilt plagued the near eleven year old in ways that no child should experience. Wasn't he the one to demand her redemption? Encourage her to try and be good and yet he had turned on her just as quickly as the other's. His still small hand stroked Pongo's short fur as he listened to Archie tell his story, staring at a spot on the floor with such intensity, it would surely burst in to flames. In that moment, he felt sick. He wanted his mother. No... he _needed_ his mother. He needed her to know that he didn't hate her, that he didn't blame her, that he was sorry.

"I want my mom."

It's soft at first, they don't really hear him over their talking. Pongo's head rises and he seems to stare at Henry for years when, in reality, it couldn't have been longer than ten seconds before the dalmatian barks... loudly. It draws the attention of the adults in the room and Henry looks up, meeting their eyes ( Emma's gaze, he holds ) before he speaks with a lot more confidence then he had before. "I want to see my mom."

The question is, will his mom want to see him?

He watches with something akin to apprehension when Emma exchanges a look with Snow and Charming. He's so much more Regina's son than Emma realised, she's just never taken the time to notice. So when his brow cocks and his stance straightens, the adults are suddenly reminded of the Mayor when she's impatient... He even folds his arms over his chest like her. Emma's lips part as she stutters for words, replaying Regina disappearing within purple smoke in her head and she cringes. "Henry..."

Her son is smarter than she gave him credit for, and while a part of her likes to think he got that from her, she knows it's because of Regina. Nurture over Nature... Regina was many things, but a bad mother was not one of them.

He can read it in her face, the way her eyes don't exactly meet his and she's shifting on her feet, uncomfortable. So his gaze drifts from his blonde mother, to his grandfather, but he's not looking at him either. Snow it is then. Green eyes meet green eyes and he can see the slight glisten of unshed tears. So... Snow knows too. He sinks down in his seat, Pongo moving to rest his head in the boys lap and his gaze falls downcast.

"She's gone, isn't she..."

It's not a question, more so a statement. She can't have gone far, and she has a lot of hiding places around Storybrooke. The manor's not safe for her and he can only hope she's somewhere he can find her. And he will find her. If there's anything his family is good at, it's finding people. Since his mother's not here to do so, he'll do it for her. So he cringes. The Charming's have a catchphrase and, briefly, he wonders if the Mills' do too.

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"One tall vanilla latté, two sugars and an... I'll have a bagel too."

Her stomach is growling by the time she'd come across the small diner on the side of the road. Why she hadn't taken her car, she's not sure. Maybe she'd been in a rush, maybe she just didn't realise she was leaving until she was gone. Whatever reason, she's infinitely grateful that her wallet had been in her coat pocket, as well as a folder of paperwork in the book. Her heart is heavy as she sits in the booth, droplets of water caught in her hair as it had only just started to sprinkle when she'd made her way to the door. Shaking it out, the brunette bites her lip as she slides in to her seat and sits there, staring at the things on the table in front of her.

This is all she has now.

A letter, a book, a file of paperwork, and a wallet.

In the grand scheme of things, she had thought she'd had more than that. More than... this. Nose crinkling as she refrains from groaning out loud, her head falls in to her hands and her eyes flutter closed. She's surrounded by darkness, but not for long. For it's just a few seconds later that she hears it... laughter.

Her eyes snap open and her head twists, her back straightening as she looks for her son but it's just another child, brown haired and green eyed and his name may or may not be Henry, but he wouldn't be _her_ Henry. An exhaled breath passes her lips as she slumps, offering the smallest of smiles at the waitress as she places her coffee on the table before, the bagel right beside it. She's not Ruby, but she brought her food and her stomach hardly cares for her name. Reaching out, she tears at the bread and pops a piece in to her mouth.

She feels... strange.

Not entirely whole.

Incomplete.

She supposes that might be the loss of her son, who as far as she's aware is somewhere in Boston with the mother he chose over her. Maybe that's why she left Storybrooke. Surrounded by reminders of him and her and _them_. It hurts her heart simply thinking about it. A brief glance down at the letter, and she's once again fighting back tears.

**_Don't go back._**

**_Henry's with Emma._**

**_'Villains don't get happy endings.'_**

Her brow furrows at the last line, not completely understanding what that's supposed to mean. She's not a villain, villains aren't real. She's Madame Mayor, Regina Mills, Henry's Mother... but a Villain? It confuses her but she's focused on the line before that, so she doesn't give it much thought._ 'Henry's with Emma... Henry's with Emma... Henry's with Emma.'_ Well, that hurt.

Her stomach growls before she can begin to once again wallow, and she sighs. Reaching out for the coffee cooling by her side, her lower lip slips between her teeth and she worries it, brown eyes flicking both around her, and down at ink printed words. She obviously hadn't given much thought to just where she would go after leaving Storybrooke. Something pushes her to head towards Boston, to get her son back and keep him where he rightfully belongs... but something else pushes her away. Forcing someone to stay is only going to push them further away, didn't she know that better than anyone?

Groaning out loud, her head falls back and her eyes close.

She has no idea what she's doing.

**A/N**:_ And so we have, Chapter One. Please keep in mind that this will be a slow burn story. I have this habit of writing non-linear, so there may be parts where I'll skip forward, and then skip back. However I shall attempt not to do that with this. That said, there will be flashbacks, but not until some time later. Thank you guys for all your interest, I really appreciate it. Enjoy._


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